Giving Thanks
by tatertots370
Summary: Motherly Comfort sequel. Ryan returns to Newport for Thankgiving and sees what he left behind. The whole (I mean, whole) crew is mentioned, at the least.
1. Road Trip to Theresa's

**_Giving Thanks_**

**Disclaimer: **I have nothing to do with _The O.C._ Don't sure, I 3 Josh (most of the time, _hellooo _Oliver!)

**A/N: **The sequel to _Motherly Comfort_ has arrived! Hey, I noticed this is a Thursday, as is Thanksgiving...Yeah, concidence. This story is basically how **ctoan**'s _Road Trip_ was like a sequel to _Graduation _(you should check out both), in the same universe. I know things seem a little too perfect considering all of the drama just experienced. But I'm bad at writing drama, come on people, enjoy my fluff!

* * *

Seth and Summer sat together at the Cohen kitchen table eating a late breakfast. It was around noon.  
  
"Thanksgiving, turkey, stuffing, other various foods...the time of year has come again!" Seth exclaimed as he poured milk into his cereal.  
  
"Yeah, I'm oh-_so-_excited. Thank God for my dad making me only spend thirty minutes with him and the step-monster," Summer commented, "I get to spend the rest over here with you and your parents,"  
  
"Someone else is coming," Seth said tauntingly after taking a big spoonful of Trix into his mouth.  
  
Summer flashed a look at Seth and ignored his comment. "Coop gets to be with her dad, but she'll probably have to come over here too. You know King Nichol will bring his queen Julie Cooper, and she'll force Marissa to come, but only at the beginning of the day," Summer stated.  
  
"That's great! We're avoiding an awkward, 'I missed you,', 'How's the fetus?', 'My life sucks!', 'Really? Mine's angsty,' encounter," Seth noted.  
  
Summer took a bite of her fruit salad and questioned, "Cohen! What are you getting at?"  
  
"I love when you talk dirty," Seth joked with a grin.  
  
"You know what I love?" Summer asked, frustrated.  
  
"Threatening me with violence?" Seth guessed.  
  
Summer rolled her eyes. "No, when you tell me what the hell you're saying!" she answered.  
  
Seth smiled devilishly. "It's gonna be a Chino-Returns-To-Newport-Thanksgiving!" he said excitedly, "Ryan's coming!"  
  
Summer smiled. "Really? Is he excited?" she asked.  
  
Seth's excitement level dropped. "Here's the thing, he doesn't know. But I want it to be a surprise. I know Mumsy and Popsy haven't seen Ryan, while I have, and I know they miss him a lot. So I figured we could take a drive to Chino and convince him to come back and visit," he explained.  
  
Summer bounced in her chair. "Coop's gonna be so happy!" she yelped.  
  
"Yeah...I don't want them to see each other," Seth muttered as he took his bowl to the sink.  
  
Summer whirled around in her chair to face him. "Why?!" she asked, almost shouting.  
  
"Calm down! I don't want them to get all sad and moping and 'Oh I miss you tear, tear,' 'cause that'll just make it suck," Seth stated.  
  
Summer shrugged. "That's true," she agreed, "And plus, she's been spending all this time trying to forget him, and that'll be wasted,"  
  
"So let's go!" he announced.  
  
Summer raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "Um, no,"  
  
"Um, yeah," Seth said mockingly.  
  
"Look, we can't go tomorrow, because that's a holy day, and Theresa's _so_ religious. We can't go during the week after school 'cause Ryan will be tired from work--" Seth explained.  
  
"Ryan works?" Summer asked, cutting Seth off.  
  
He nodded. "He replaced Theresa's ex. He works one week, goes to school the next. The school doesn't really care, that what he says," he finished.  
  
Summer got up. "Let's go. We can take my car," she stated.  
  
"Aw, you're the best!" Seth gushed, giving her a lengthy kiss on the lips.  
  
Summer smiled. "I'm driving, and we're stopping at Burger King," she said firmly, strolling out into the driveway with Seth at her side.

* * *

"So, this is Chino. It looks like it smells," Summer noted as she drove into Theresa's driveway.  
  
Seth laughed and stuffed a French fry into his mouth. "So wise," he murmured.  
  
"I guess we just go up," she commented nervously.  
  
"Yeah," Seth said as he unlocked the car door.  
  
"We just get out and go up to the door?" Summer asked.  
  
"Are you scared or something?" Seth questioned and got out of the car as she did.  
  
Summer put one hand on her hip and frowned. "No! I'm _cautious_," she said, noticeably offended.  
  
"My girlfriend, the thesaurus. I've been here before, Eva, Theresa's mom, she knows me," he assured, putting an arm around her waist.  
  
He knocked on the door twice and a Hispanic woman around her forties answered.  
  
"Seth!" she greeted and pulled him into an uncomfortable hug.  
  
"Hi, Eva," he muttered, embarrassed by the woman's hospitality.  
  
Summer perked up and took the moment to introduce herself. "Hola, me llamo Summer," she greeted in Spanish.  
  
"She speaks English, Summer. I know you take Spanish, but it's starting to irritate me. Rosa speaks English too!" Seth exclaimed.  
  
Eva shook her head. "It's nice to meet you, me llamo Eva. Seth es un chiflado niño,"  
  
Summer smiled politely and nodded. "I have no idea what that woman just said," she whispered in Seth's ear.  
  
"Ryan's in the back, I'll go get him," Eva said and scurried away.  
  
Seth closed the door behind them and took a seat on the old and slightly stained couch. He patted the area next to himself, offering Summer a place to sit.  
  
Summer scrunched her nose and shook her head. "What if I get those yellowy pee-looking stains on my butt? These are Joie silk cargoes!" she exclaimed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
Seth chuckled to himself and waited. Ryan came in, smiling a little. His hair was a little longer, his skin a little paler, but not much had changed.  
  
Seth got up and gave Ryan a light hug, and Summer gave him a warm and welcoming embrace that said, "I missed you, Chino,"

Summer promptly sat next to Seth on the ratty couch, not to be rude. Ryan sat across from them in the old but comfortable looking chair around the coffee table.

"So, how have you guys been?" Ryan asked, actually interested and not out of manners.

Summer began talking before Seth could open his mouth to answer.

"Oh my God, Chino, it is so boring without you! Like, nobody does anything! It's just me, Cohen and Coop, and let's be honest here, I can only be with them so much. I mean, I've been hanging out with Kirsten a little and all, but not at school," she started, her rambling going at top speed.

Ryan and Seth exchanged amused glances and Summer went on and on about how her step-mom and father were irritating, the teachers wouldn't stop giving her and Seth dirty looks, and other things.

"Did you have anything else to tell me?" he asked, interuppting Summer.

Summer looked a little peeved at Ryan's interupption, but Seth jumped in before she could say a thing. "Yes, indeed we did!" Seth exclaimed.

Summer rolled her eyes. "You sound like an old man, ass cake," she muttered.

"Ass cake? Is that from the Body Part Bakery?" Seth joked.

Ryan couldn't help but smile at their bickering. It made him feel normal, but maybe because compared to their insane relationship, he was.

"Shut up, Cohen. Talk!" she ordered.

Seth continued, "Okay, Thanksgiving is really soon. And I'm not really sure what the Mexican tradition is for Thanksgiving, because Theresa's family is Mexican but American and...Not the point. Look, Mom--" he corrected himself, "Kirsten and Sandy miss you a lot, and so _I_ thought you could come and visit. Stay for dinner. It'd be a very awesome surprise," he explained, stressing the "I" to show it was his idea.

Ryan hesitated. Wasn't he living with Theresa's family now? Was it exactly fair to spend Thanksgiving with the Cohens? He didn't want to put any stress on Theresa.

"I'll defenitly think about it. I want to come it's just..." he paused, "I'll check with Theresa,"

Theresa stuck her head in the room, as if she was right on cue. "About what?" she asked.

"How to make fajitas!" Summer exclaimed.

Seth's eyes widened in annoyance. "Again with the Hispanic sterotypes!" he murmured into Summer's ear.

Theresa let out a small laugh and rolled her eyes. She walked into the room. She was wearing a black tank top and jeans, but her growing belly was still easy to see. Her face had gotten a little bit bigger too, and although he face was bare of make-up, she looked basically the same.

"Ryan, you know we don't eat fajitas, but my aunt does. If you want to know, I can ask my her," she said.

Seth shook his head quickly. "Um, no, we'll just go to Taco Bell...or a place where they sell fajitas," he said.

"Yeah," Summer said, standing up, "We're gonna go,"

Ryan nodded and they all said their goodbyes. Ryan closed the door after them.

"Oh, he is so ours," Seth said.


	2. They Are So Real!

**_Giving Thanks_**

**Disclaimer: **I have no affliations with _The O.C._, Fox, Lindsay Lohan's breasts (real or not), or anything else mentioned in the story.

**A/N: **A few notes to my reviewers first. **60sChic, **sucks about your account, by the way, and I don't think I'll keep it coinciding with Thanksgiving time. It'd be an awesome idea, but I'm just not organized enough. **SC-Angel, **Ryan and Marissa will be involved, but not exactly how you may want. Thanks for reading, I love the feedback.

* * *

It was after dinner, and Eva and gone to sleep early. She was getting over the flu. Theresa and Ryan sat together on the couch, flipping through the few channels they had without cable.

"Stop," Ryan said as an repeat of "The Valley" flooded the screen.

Theresa raised her eyebrow and looked at Ryan with a surprised look on her face. "You like this?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Look, I've been meaning to ask you something," he said, changing the subject.

Theresa turned her attention to Ryan. "Say it," she ordered.

"When Seth and his girlfriend, Summer, came by today, Seth had an idea…His parents haven't seen me ever since I left and according to him, they really miss me. So, his idea was that I would come for Thanksgiving dinner and spend it with his parents, but if you want me to stay here with you and Eva…"

"Ryan," she said in her "You-Know-Me" voice.

He knew that's her way of answering, but he couldn't exactly decode it.

Theresa continued, "The Cohens are a huge part of your life. They're your family. I could never make you stay. And if I did, you'd be all sad and brooding at me all day,"

Ryan laughed. She was defenitly right. "Thanks. I'll bring you back some yams,"

Theresa rolled her eyes. "Yams? Eww! God, Atwood, you don't know me at all!"

"Too bad you never met Summer," Ryan said with a smile.

* * *

"They are so _not_ real!" Summer squealed at lunch with Marissa and Seth.

"Oh my God, they are definately real! You developed late, too!" Marissa debated, taking a bite out of her salad.

Seth drank from his soda bottle. It was times like these he really missed having Ryan around. Or Luke. Or Anna. Or even Danny, he really just needed a friend around that didn't argue about whether or not Lindsay Lohan had breast implants.

"Does it matter? She's still hot," Seth said.

Marissa continued to eat her salad and prepared for a Seth-Summer-bicker-fest. "I'm only a C-cup, you know," Summer stated.

Seth, oblivious, nodded.

"So, you think Lindsay Lohan's hotter then me?"

"No! I like your boobs, much, much more," Seth exclaimed.

Summer giggled a little and threw a crouton from Marissa's salad at him. Marissa took a bite of Summer's rice in return.

The irritating high-pitched version of "Barbie Girl" rang from Seth's phone.

"That would be the work of Summer," Seth said, turning to Marissa.

Marissa laughed and looked at the phone. _Ryan Home_ came up on the Caller-ID. She bit her lip.

Seth got up from the table and answered the call.

"Sum, why do you think Ryan's calling Seth?" Marissa asked, part curious and part yearning to talk to him.

Summer shrugged and looked down at her plate. She could never lie to someone's face. "Probably to check up...Those two were like inseperable,"

Marissa sighed. "Yeah, anyway, I'm gonna go get my stuff for next period. Two more classes and school's done for the break!"

She took her plate and got up from the table, just as Seth was coming back.

"He's coming,"

Summer smiled, but then realized how much work they would have to do. "We can't let Coop and Chino see each other,"

Seth nodded. "They probably won't. But I've kept two people apart on Thanksgiving,"

Summer gave him a dirty look and got up from the table. "Wanna be alone by Thanksgiving?"


	3. Arrivals and Communication

**_Giving Thanks_**

**Disclaimer:** I have nothing to do with _The O.C._ Let's leave it at that. I'm tired and it's getting late. _The Real World_'s on soon.

**A/N:** Basically a plot chapter. Some juicy dialogue here and there, and quite a few signifigent points in relationships and character development, but the _real_ dirt starts next chapter, but I think you'll enjoy this one just as much! Three down, two to go. Also, I'm considering making a third part in the series. It's linked to a part in this chapter. Any guesses?

* * *

"T..T-H...T-H-A-N-K-G..._iiii_iving is here to stay!" Seth cheered as he walked into the kitchen.

Kirsten looked up from the carrots she was chopping. "I told you we should have sent him to cheer camp,"

"Kirsten, let's not talk about this while you've got a knife in your hand," Sandy reasoned with a smile.

"You know what, Mom? Let's not have you hold a knife at _all_ today. You've been cooking so much recently, let's have Thanksgiving dinner be like a vacation," Seth said. He took the cutting knife out of his mother's hand smoothly and handed it to his father.

"The last thing I made was hot dogs," Kirsten stated.

"And mighty good hot dogs they were, right Dad?" Seth stated.

"Mighty,"

"Can't I just chop carrots?" Kirsten exclaimed.

The sound of the doorbell rang through the house.

"As if right on cue, Mom, you better go get that!" Seth said.

"Why can't you go, I'm chopping carrots?" Kirsten asked.

"Well, look over there, Dad is. Go get the door, the UPS man is waiting,"

Kirsten turned to see Sandy smiling wickedly and chopping carrots. She frowned and made her way to the door.

Seth held out his hand and Sandy have him a high-five. "I know, I know," Seth said.

* * *

Kirsten opened the door. There stood Caleb and Julie with smiles on their faces, and Caitlyn and Marissa with frowns. "We brought the stuffing!" Caleb exclaimed.

After everyone exchanged greetings with Kirsten, Julie handed her the stuffing. "Put this away from the stove so it won't burn like everything did last year. I've really had too much orange chicken recently," she said coldly.

Kirsten took the plate of stuffing with a frown and walked to the kitchen, but held her tongue. Marissa, on the other hand, didn't. "Oh yeah, is the Chinese food better or worse in Newport compared to Riverside?" Marissa asked, poison laced in her tone.

Julie scowled at her daughter, while Caitlyn surpressed a giggle. "Can I go play video games with Seth?" she asked.

"Sure, sweetie, go on," Caleb said.

"I'll join you," Marissa said, but before she could take a step she felt a cold hand on her shoulder.

She turned to see it was Julie. "You're the one demanding to spend half of Thanksgiving with your father and aunt, so the time Caleb and I have with you, you'll spend with _us_, okay?"

Marissa rolled her eyes. "Right,"

Kirsten put the plate down on the counter. "The Nichol-Cooper clan has arrived," she stated to Seth and Sandy.

"Don't touch the stuffing, it's toxic," Sandy quipped.

"Look, Mom, I know Caitlyn's my little cousin or whatever, but do I have to play some kiddie video game with her?" Seth complained.

Kirsten laughed at her son. "Seth! I wanna race again! I get the pink car!" Caitlyn's whiny voice echoed through the house.

Seth rolled his eyes. "I'd prefer an SUV. Green, emerald, to be exact," he mumbled before walking back into the living room.

Kirsten walked over to the potatoes and began to peel them. Sandy watched in dismay. "What? It's not like anyone pays attention to the food anyway!"

Sandy shrugged and continued cooking. He glanced at the clock. "I better call my mom, it's 3:00 where they are, don't wanna upset her,"

Marissa walked into the kitchen aimlessly. "Okay, I got away from my mom for a second, is there _anything_ I can do that'll make me productive?" she asked.

Kirsten nodded and motioned to the green beans. "How are you holding up?" she asked.

"Not so good. Just a little longer until I get to go to my dad's,"

"Yes! I won again!"

"I think Seth could use your help more then we could, go play video games with him and your sister," Kirsten commented.

* * *

Sandy dialed and walked around the living room, Caleb and Julie bickering behind him. "Hello?" a woman's slightly rough voice answered.

"Hey, Danielle. It's Sanford," Sandy greeted into the phone, taking a seat on the couch.

"Sandy! Happy Thanksgiving, how is everything?" Danielle asked, her voice much warmer now she knew who she was speaking to.

"Good, better then last time," he answered.

"Yeah, I know, Ma told us. I guess you wanna talk to her," Danielle answered sympathetically.

"Yeah,"

"Ma! Sandy's on the phone!" Danielle shouted, putting a hand on the reciever.

A few moments later, the Nana answered. "Sandy! How's everyone? Kirsten? Setheleh? Ryan? The girl he knocked up?"

Sandy sighed, "Ma!"

"Oh, like they can hear me," the Nana reasoned.

"Look, it's not about everyone here. How are _you_?" he asked.

"Chemo's alright. Sara and her daughter came from New Rochelle, they're making potatoes," the Nana answered, ignoring what he truly wanted her to say.

"Are you still smoking?" he asked, flat out.

The Nana sighed. "No,"

"No?" Sandy questioned, making sure she was being honest.

"Well, I have a cigarette every once in a while. What do you expect?" she confessed.

"I expect you to care," Sandy answered.

"I'm trying,"

Sandy shook his head. "Ma, I love you. Come visit again soon, put Danielle back on,"

"Alright. Tell everyone I love them. I don't know if I can make it back to that California hell hole without dying at the sight of that town," she said spicily.

"Ma,"

"Okay!"

"Sandy, what?" Danielle greeted informally.

"Make sure Ma stops smoking, okay?" he said, almost pleading.

"We're trying. It's not so easy," Danielle responded.

"I know. Why don't you come down here sometime soon?" Sandy offered.

Danielle laughed. "No _way_. You should come up here,"

Sandy actually took the idea into thought. "Maybe. I better go, Kirsten's father and his wife are here,"

* * *

Summer pulled up to the Cohen home and walked quickly up to the doorstep. She rang the doorbell. It only took a few seconds for Seth to answer the door.

"Talk to Ryan?" he asked.

"Yeah. He'll be here in twenty minutes," Summer answered, walking inside.

"Good, good. Now, Marissa's playing video games with her sister and me but she's leaving in about five minutes to go to her dad's," Seth said.

"_Fan_tastic,"

"Plan: Chino-Thanksgiving is in motion!" Seth exclaimed.

* * *

Marissa took a cab to her father's new apartment. Two bedrooms. It was wishful thinking. Marissa knew Hailey and Jimmy slept in the same bed, there was no need for a second room. But Jimmy still had that sliver of hope that maybe, somehow, Marissa and Caitlyn would maybe move in with him. But that didn't seem close to reality to anyone.

She used her key to open the door. Hailey and Jimmy were packing up what looked like a pumpkin pie. Marissa had a puzzled look on her face.

"Look, Kiddo, I know you wanted to have dinner here--" Jimmy began.

"But, basically, my ass dad wouldn't lend me any more money unless I came over for Thanksgiving. So_ pissed_," Hailey finished through gritted teeth. The frustration was evident in all three of them in the room.

"So it was happy Marissa or money for Hailey?" Marissa spat, not able to control her dramatic habits.

"_Pumpkin_,"

Marissa rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's what kind of pie you're bringing to the place I didn't want to be today!" she shouted.

Hailey winced. She hadn't ever seen a fight between Marissa and Jimmy.

"Marissa, it wasn't like that!" Jimmy exclaimed, clearly upset.

"Then how was it?" Marissa shouted back.

Hailey noticed it. Her screaming fits with her mother sounded to much alike with what she was hearing now. Her mother was the one who understood her, and she didn't appreciate her until she got sick.

"It was like your father was freaking out about how to make you understand, and I told him you would because I thought you were better then this, Marissa," Hailey yelled, remaining slightly calm.

Marissa looked down at the ground and shuffled her feet around. Hailey took a step close to her. "Look, I did the same thing when I was your age. But you aren't four any more," she said quietly, making eye contact with Marissa.

Marissa nodded and gave a whispered, "Sorry, guys," It was really time for her to grow up, or at least try.

* * *

Summer gripped the controller firecly while she played aganist Caitlyn in a video game. She won again.

"I totally kick ass at this game!" she yelped.

Seth shot her a dirty look and pointed to Caitlyn. Caitlyn, is response, rolled her eyes. "God, I'm twelve, not a dumbass!"

Seth's eyes widened is surprise, and Summer burst out laughing. "What are you laughing at? I get it from my sister who got it from _you_!" Caitlyn spat.

"Ouch," Seth mumbled.

The ring of the doorbell made both Seth and Summer perk up. "Oh my God!" Summer yelped with a huge grin on her face. "Wait, how are we gonna get everyone to the door?" she asked, giving the scheming pair a problem.

"I know!" Seth exclaimed. Her raised his voice, "Everyone come to the door!"

Summer punched him on the shoulder. "What?" he screeched.

"Dumbass!" Caitlyn name-called.

Everyone quickly came to the door. Seth proudly opened the door to a beaming Ryan with a paper turkey centerpiece in his hand. Yelps of delight all came at once as Ryan hugged a few and awkwardly greeted a few of the group as Seth and Summer watched, happy with their work.

"It's great to see you again," Kirsten said, looking her son in the eyes.

* * *

Kirsten took the initiative of answering the door again, seeing as she was the only one not cooking. More because she wasn't allowed, but all the better in her mind.

"Jimmy, Hailey, Marissa!" she exclaimed.

The Kirsten saw the unavoidable upcoming drama between Marissa and Ryan. So much for a drama-free holiday.


	4. Silence and Talks

**_Giving Thanks_**

**Disclaimer:** Don't own _The O.C._ Also don't own that MTV rip-off _Laguna Beach_. I do wish I owned Adam Brody, Ben McKenzie, or hey, Stephan from _Laguna Beach._ Ah, Stephan.

**A/N:** This is where the fact that it's the _Motherly Comfort_ sequel kicks in. I'd suggest you read chapter eight of that before this chapter, but if not, you might just be a tad bit lost. I really like this chapter. A lot of growth in relationships and chracter development. Kind of focuses on Summer, Kirsten, and Marissa. Yes, I am a Marissa-hata', but even the haters will like this, I think **.!!!Spoiler!!!** It's not Me!Me!Meeeee!Marissa any more, kids.

**Adamismine69**- To answer your question, yes. I'm Jewish, I celebrate Thanksgiving, and my friends that are Jewish do as well. It's an American holiday, not a religious one. Jusy FYI, not to lecture. :-) Thanks for reviewing!

* * *

Marissa walked into the living room to find Seth and Summer. They both jumped up in surprise.

"Coop! Coop!" Summer yelped, "Look who's here, Seth, it's _Coop_!" she exclaimed, clearly indicating the problems that were going to arise.

"Marissa! Let's go into the kitchen, away from here!" Seth rambled, leading Marissa into the kitchen.

Summer sat down on the couch, already stressed out. She yelped when she heard the bathroom door open. "Chino!"

"Hey, where'd Seth go?" he asked, unsuspectingly.

"Nowhere, with nobody. Wanna sit here, away from the kitchen?" Summer answered quickly.

"Um..."

"Sounds like a great answer to me, I'll be back in a second!" Summer said, running off into the kitchen.

* * *

"Hardest job, ever!" Summer exclaimed to Seth in the hallway.

"I know. And why are we the only two doing this?" Seth replied.

"I guess we're the only people who _care_," Summer sighed.

"Maybe everyone else is just oblivious," Seth retorted.

"Whatevs. I have to go call my mom," she said.

"You_ can't_ do this to me!" Seth shrieked.

Summer rolled her eyes. "Calm down, Cohen! Your dad's gonna give Ryan a talk now,"

Seth exhaled in relief. "Thank Moses," he muttered.

* * *

Sandy looked at Ryan. He looked so worn out, so beat. He couldn't imagine the last time he had gotten some rest. Ryan was sitting in the same chair that the Nana sat in when Sandy talked to her. Sandy wondered if he would be put in the same position.

"How's school?" he asked.

Ryan hesistated. He didn't want to disapoint Sandy. He saw Sandy's serious, caring eyes on him, seeing him, watching him. Sandy already knew. He had to. He knew Ryan the first time he met him, nothing had changed.

"Not so good," he answered quietly.

"Why?"

Ryan took a deep breath in. _Guilt_. Guilt ran through his veins. The Cohens took him in and helped him make a better life, and answering that question would be like saying he had thrown everything they'd taught him out the window.

"I only go every other week. I have a job, Sandy, I can't just..." he trailed off. He couldn't finish. He could barely even look Sandy in the eye.

"Ryan," Sandy said gravely.

"I know," Ryan said.

"You can do so much in your life," Sandy said truthfully.

"But right now I have to help out the family," Ryan reasoned. He knew it was bad reasoning in Sandy's mind, but he hoped he would understand.

"You're not alone. Do you need us to help you?" Sandy asked, reluctant. He knew Ryan wouldn't take charity.

Silence.

Ryan shook his head. "Then why are you failing?" Sandy asked, almost inaudibly. Both knew he didn't want to ask it.

The taste in Ryan's mouth was salty. No, he couldn't be crying. He couldn't cry. He hadn't cried once since he had left. He'd been taught not to cry.

He sniffed and quickly wiped away the lone tear falling down his cheek. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Sandy shook his head. He reached into his pocket and took out five one hundred dollar bills, and held them out to Ryan.

"Please, just take it, Ryan,"

Ryan looked up and saw the money. He flinched. "I can't," he murmured.

"Look, you don't live here any more, but you're still a part of this family and we _all_ want you to be okay," Sandy stated, "It's not charity. It's your family loving you,"

Ryan's shaky hand took the bills and slowly put them into his pocket. "Thank you," he said.

"Just...just try in school. Do what you know you can, okay?" Sandy pleaded.

Ryan nodded and got up from the table. A faint smile lit up his face. They'd always be there.

* * *

"Kirsten, can I use the phone?" Summer asked, sauntering into the kitchen.

Kirsten looked up from the food she was sure she was ruining. She wasn't sure how, but she knew she wasn't mashing the potatoes correctly.

"Sure. Calling your dad?" Kirsten asked.

Summer shook her head and picked up the phone. "Mom," she answered.

Kirsten stopped what she was doing. She froze. She knew Summer had talked to her mother and still did, but now it was just so real. And the woman who used to be one of her closest friends was going to be on her phone line in just a matter of seconds.

"Can I talk to her?"

The words popped out of Kirsten's mouth like a piece of bread when it was done being toasted. She usaully would've held back. Did she even _want_ to talk to that woman?

Summer nodded. Kirsten quickly went back to her attempt at cooking, and Summer wandered out of the kitchen.

"Hello, you've reached the Davis home," a little boy with a slight lisp answered.

Summer smiled. She was familar with her mother's new family by now. "Happy Thanksgiving, Jacob! It's Summer. Is Mom there?" she greeted. Using the word "Mom" to address Christine still felt a little awkward, but Christine was slowly growing into it.

"Summer! She's here, hold on," Jacob replied.

Summer could hear her half-brother shout to their mother on the phone. It was so odd for her. There was this whole other family that she was a part of and hadn't even seen in person. She just knew them through voices and photographs, and maybe that was okay for her.

"Hi, Summer," Christine greeted.

"Hey. Happy Thanksgiving,"

"How's dinner with your father and Lauren?" Christine asked, still not sure of what buttons she shouldn't push.

"I'm actually at Seth's," Summer replied.

"Oh,"

"Yeah. How's work?" Summer asked, avoiding the real questions.

"Good, good. I have some news," Christine said.

"What?" Summer asked, faking excitement politely.

"Dan and I are going to have another child!" Christine exclaimed.

Summer was silent. She wanted to be happy, or at least not care. But she was upset. Upset that someone that hadn't even been born yet would have more time with her mother then she would in her life. She bit her lip. The taste of vanilla lip gloss was on her tongue. The flavored-lip gloss technique had really helped.

"I'm pregnant, Summer," Christine stated after a few seconds of silence.

"I heard," Summer said in a whisper.

"Are you upset?" Christine asked.

Summer was silent for a few more seconds. "A little," she responded sadly.

"You can come and see the baby when it's born," Christine said, missing the idea.

"That would mean I'd have to _see_ _you_...I don't know if I can yet," Summer said, inhaling, her voice nervous.

"Oh,"

"I don't know. Can we just give it...time?" Summer finished.

"Sure," Christine replied.

"Kirsten Cohen wants to talk to you," Summer said, bluntly.

Silence. Summer passed the phone off to Kirsten without a goodbye or an "I Love You" to her mother. Things like that weren't really important with them.

Kirsten took the phone with clammy hands. "Hi, Christine," she said quietly.

"Kirsten!" Christine exclaimed, her mood completely changed.

"How's it been?" Kirsten asked. The conversation was strange, as if they hadn't talked in weeks, not years.

"Okay. I got a job at a magazine, had a kid, got married. Turned my life around. I'm sure you've heard rumors," Christine answered.

"No. Summer told me," Kirsten said bluntly.

Silence filled the phone line. Summer looked over at Kirsten, not even minding. Christine knew Kirsten and Summer were close, she shouldn't have been surprised.

"Oh. I know, pass judgement if you like," Christine muttered, "But I had my problems, and I made my mistakes,"

Kirsten walked briskly out of the room. She didn't want Summer to hear the things she was about to say.

"But you abandoned your daughter," Kirsten said.

"It's not like I'm proud of it!" Christine exclaimed angrily.

"I just think you should know you really affected her," Kirsten retorted.

"We talked about it," Christine said.

"Not enough. Look, just don't go off and expect her to be happy for you completely. Like, if you ask her, do you think she's going to come and visit you?" Kirsten challenged.

Christine knew Kirsten was right. "No,"

"You really hurt her. You're lucky she's turned out so well," Kirsten ranted.

"Kirsten?"

"Yeah,"

"Please...be a good mother to her. I know I haven't," Christine said.

"Okay...Happy Thanksgiving," Kirsten hung up the phone, most likely never talking to Christine again.

* * *

After Sandy went back into the house, Ryan walked around the house to the front. He took out his carton of cigarettes and lit one. Inhale, exhale. Getting addicted to cigarettes again had been as easy as living in Chino again. Back to his old ways. Well, not _completely_.

Marissa walked out of the house in a huff. She couldn't take her mother's constant criticism for another second. "Sweetie, wear your hair up, out of your face," or "Baby...Don't bite your nails," It would take her mother a century and a year to realize just how unhappy Marissa was living with her and Caleb. She saw the back of a body. Tall, fit, blond. She almost went back into the house. But instead, she just said what came to mind.

"Who are you? The cousin from Boston?"

Ryan whirled around, cigarette in his mouth. He smiled slightly. Both felt a mixture of happiness, pain, and surprise.

"Whoever you want me to be," Ryan replied in the same, husky voice that he'd addressed her with the first time they met.

Marissa walked up beside him. "You smoke again," she stated.

Ryan shrugged. "Helps me through the day,"

She took the cigarette out of his mouth and threw it on the ground. She squashed it with her shoe. Ryan just looked at her with blank eyes. She knew he was telling her something, but through all their time apart, she didn't know what any more. Maybe that was what hurt them the most.

"I'm getting better. I certainly don't need news of you dying from lung sickness and making me go back," she said, almost proud.

"You're sober?" Ryan asked, feeling bad for being so surprised.

She nodded. "Figured maybe you'd be happy," she sighed.

Ryan pulled her into a one-handed hug. "I am," he said with a grin.

Marissa got chills at the sight of his smile. She knew she didn't love Ryan, but she defenitly loved his smile.

"Clean up. You went to Chino to save Theresa, not to make her house smell like nicotine," Marissa said. She had a little trouble acknowledging he left to save someone else, _not Marissa_. This time he wasn't her main priority.

Marissa was slowly accepting she wasn't everyone's first place prize. People sometimes attempted, but nobody fought hard enough for her. Someone would, though. And they'd end up just fine. That's what comforted her to put down her bottle and go to therapy and AA meetings. To make Ryan proud of her, to show her mother, to show_ herself._

There was silence between them. Silence was familar to the pair. It had been involved in the majority of the time they had spent together, but this silence was different. It wasn't because they had nothing to say, but because they had far too much to say. The difference was huge. Ryan, the quieter of the two, broke the silence.

"I know. I'm sorry,"

Marissa just shrugged. He wasn't telling her anything new. She knew he was sorry, she knew he did it because he was a hero, just not always _her_ hero. Who said she even needed one anyway? Marissa was more then a damsel in distress, a victim. She'd prove it to herself.

Marissa and Ryan went back inside, talking like friends did. Ryan made a mental note to throw away all of his cigarettes when he got back. Just a waste of eight dollars, anyway.


End file.
